Rotary combustion engine



1967 J. PROCHAZKA ET 3,304,921

ROTARY COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed March 25, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l deli FIG) INVENTOR Feb. 21, 1967 Filed March 23, 1965 J- PROCHAZKA ET 1- ROTARY COMBUSTION ENGINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR u/M 12L. fliwl United States Patent 3,304,921 ROTARY COMBUSTION ENGINE Jindrich Proclrazka and Marta Prochazka, both of 115 ()xford St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Filed Mar. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 442,060 3 Claims. (Cl. 12311) This invention relates to a rotary motor, and more particularly to an improved internal combustion type rotary motor having pistons and rotor.

Many motor designs have been proposed in the past, some having a rotary principle, but none as yet have combined the advantages of rotary drive means with a practical simple design. The rotary drive type of motors have as a rule involved turbines, and the like, which have the disadvantages of bulky size and slow powers of acceleration which thereby preclude their wide use in modern automobiles. Other proposed designs have been found to have disadvantages in manufacture due to parts, that in the running of the motor, would conceivably involve constant replacement through wear and tear.

The principal object of this invention therefore, is to provide a simplified compact rotary motor embodying the advantages of substantially vibration free driving operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sturdy rotary motor having relatively few moving parts that may become worn due to wear and tear.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a motor having relatively more power output than conventional internal combustion engines of same weight and/ or cylinder capacity.

A further object of this invention is to provide a rotary motor that incorporates conventional type accessories such as carburetor, inlet and outlet valves etc. to thereby reduce the need for retooling established production methods.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a rotary motor which may have either an internal rotor rotatable with a stator or an externally disposed rotor rotatable upon a core stator.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a transverse mid vertical sectional view of the rotary motor at beginning of combustion stroke.

FIGURE 2 is a similar view of the rotary motor at completion of exhaust and induction stroke and compression strokes.

FIGURE 3 is a similar view of the rotary motor prior to combustion stroke wherein rotor becomes disengaged with positioned pistons to further relate to engage opposing pistons for second combustion stroke similarly as depicted in FIGURE 1 for first combustion stroke.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail rotary motor designated generally by reference numeral comprises a housing or stator 11 and centrally axially aligned therein a rotor 19 rotatable upon bearings, not shown, rotor 19 being conventionally meshed with a drive shaft 35 by conventional means not shown in the drawings in such manner that the rotational movement of rotor 19 imparts rotational movement to the drive shaft.

Opposing pistons A and B are disposed between interior wall 12 of stator 11 and exterior wall 20 of rotor 19, connected by piston connecting ring 21 slidably inset into annular connecting ring channel 22 located in interior wall 12 of stator 11. Similarly opposing pistons C, D are connected by piston connecting ring 23 oppositely 3,304,921 Patented Feb. 21, 1967 disposed to piston connecting ring 21, inset into connecting ring channel 24 in the interior wall 12 of stator 11 substantially opposite, connecting ring channel 22 as shown clearly in FIGURE 4. Pistons A and B move together independently of pistons C and D in a circular motion within the enclosed piston chamber 25 formed between interior wall 12 of stator 11 and exterior wall 20 of rotor 11.

It will be noted that in the various relative positions of pistons A, B and C, D described herein below, that a substantially vibration free condition exists owing to the balance achieved in locating the pistons oppositely in pairs upon their respective piston connecting rings. In the preferred embodiment of my invention depicted in the drawings I have shown pistons A, B, C and D to have a circular section within corresponding circularly curved walls 12 and 20 forming therebetween piston chamber 25. However, it is readily evident that these components may be given other desired configurations without departing from the principles of operation of our rotary motor.

Slot 13 is provided within piston chamber 25 having substantially the curvature of interior wall 12. Each piston A, B, C and D is provided with a transverse locking pin 26 having a length substantially equivalent to the diameter of each piston and the amount by which slot 13 extends outwardly from interior wall 12. Rotor 19 is provided with transverse oppositely disposed slots 27 extending inwardly from exterior wall 20 of rotor 19 by an amount substantially equivalent to the outwardly extended width of slot 13, as above described. It will be observed from a study of the drawings that each pin 26 is provided with a curved outer end 28 adapted to ride over tapered end 14 of slot 13 to thereby force pins 26 into their respective piston-s, as for example, is the case with piston A as it moves in a clockwise direction away from its position as depicted in FIGURE 1. It is evident, however, that pin 26 cannot be depressed in this manner until transverse slot 27 is positioned as in FIGURE 1 to receive inner end 29 of locking pin 26. Piston A is thereby urged into locked engagement with rotor 19 as it is forced to move in a clockwise direction by the combustion stroke to be later explained.

With reference to FIGURE 1, substantially opposite slot 13 in piston chamber 25 is provided slot 16 having lever 30 pivotably mounted substantially centrally therein and having a curvature such that upon end 32 of lever 30 being forced outwardly against the tendency of spring 34 by end 28 of pin 26 of piston B, forward end 31 is substantially flush at its innermost point with the curved interior wall 21 of stator 11 thereby maintaining piston D in locked engagement with stator 11. Upon movement of piston B away from its position as depicted in FIG- URE 1 in a clockwise direction toward a position as depicted in FIGURE 2, which movement of piston B occurs upon movement of piston A in clockwise direction, spring 34 provided upon stator 11 biases end 32' of lever 30 inwardly, thereupon lifting rear end 31 from interior wall 12 of stator 11 and freeing end 28 of pin 26 piston D, which thereupon may move in a clockwise direction. This inside curved edge 33 of lever 30 is such that as piston D moves in a clockwise direction from its position depicted in FIGURE 2 to that of FIGURE 3, extended end 28 of pin 26 of piston D bears against curved inside edge 33. At substantially all intermediate positions of piston D between its position depicted in FIGURES 2 and 3, the distance between the point of contact between end 28 of pin 26 of piston D and inside curved edge 33 of lever 30 and interior wall 12 is substantially equal to this width of slot 13.

As piston D is caused to move from its position as in FIGURE 2 to that as in FIGURE 3, end 28 of locking pin 26 bears against inside curved edge 33 of lever 30 to thereby lift end 32 thereof against tendency of spring 34 and also thereby depress inwardly end 31 to close end 17 of slot 16 so that piston A, upon arriving in the position as depicted in FIGURE 3, becomes engaged with stator 11, pin 26 being urged outwardly into end 17 of slot 16.

With reference to FIGURE 1, substantially at the moment that piston A is locked to rotor 19 by pin 26 moving into transverse slot 27, opposite attached piston B is likewise locked to rotor 19 by movement into its respective slot 27 in rotor 11 of .pin 26. Disengagement of pistons A and B from rotor 19 occurs upon rotor 19 arriving at the position depicted in FIGURE 3, wherein pins 26 of pistons A and B move, through the action of centrifugal force, outwardly into slots 13 and 16 respectively. The continued rotational movement of disengaged rotor 11, due to its momentum, carries rotor 19 from the position depicted in FIGURE 3 to the position as depicted in FIG- URE 1, thereby completing one half revolution.

The manner of operation of any rotary motor is herein below described, where possible using the stroke sequence of the conventional internal combustion engine, namely the combustion, exhaust, induction and compression strokes.

Referring again to FIGURE 1, it will be noticed that pistons A, B, C and D are provided with piston rings similar to conventional piston rings 36 and performing a similar function; each piston is moreover provided at each face 37 and 38 with a recess 39 or chamber, so formed that an almost enclosed cavity 40 is formed between adjacent pistons as in pistons A and C in FIGURE 1. A conventional gaseous mixture of gasoline and air is introduced into piston chamber 25 and compressed within cavity 40 between pistons A and C in a manner that is made clear in the description of the compression stroke. Upon pistons A and C being positioned as in FIGURE 1, spark plug 41 ignites the explosive gaseous mixture in flash chamber 42 which substantially simultaneously ignites the main portion of the mixture in cavity 40, forcing piston A to rotate in a clockwise direction, pin 26 engaging rotor 19 as previously described. Piston C is retained in position due to its pin 26 remaining extended, end 28 retained against the rear end 15 of slot 13; likewise opposite connected piston D is locked by pin 26 of piston D in rear end 17 of slot 16. The locked pistons C, D thereby maintain a resistance to the force of explosion in cavity 40 causing it to be directed toward piston A which is thereby propelled in a clockwise direction toward piston D as depicted in FIGURE 2. The combustion stroke above described is timed to occur at substantially the moment pistons A and C are adjacently positioned as depicted in FIGURE 1. Alternatively state, a combustion stroke occurs upon each half revolution of rotor 19.

It is apparent from the foregoing that forward face 27 of piston A is pushing against the exploded gaseous mixture from the previous combustion stroke as it moves from its position as depicted in FIGURE 2. Exploded gases are exhausted through port 43 provided in stator 11 in conventional manner, exhaust port 43 leading to an exhaust manifold, not shown in the drawings.

At substantially the moment piston A is propelled upon the combustion stroke, piston D which is locked with stator 11 as depicted in FIGURE 1 becomes disengaged with stator 11 as depicted in FIGURE 2 owing to movement owing from end 32 of lever 30 of pin 26 of piston B, lever 30 thereupon assuming through action of spring 34 the position depicted in FIGURE 2. Upon arriving at the positions depicted in FIGURE 2 pistons A and B impart their momentum to pistons D and C respectively. It should be understood that direct contact between faces 37 and 38 of pistons A and D is not effected owing to the presence of residue gases which act as a buffer or cushion between adjacent faces 37 and 38. This same buffer action occurs between faces 37 and 38 of pistons B and C fit respectively. Pistons A and D and pistons B and C are carried by the continued force of the combustion stroke, and the momentum of rotor 19 from their positions as depicted in FIGURE 2 to those depicted in FIGURE 3.

An inlet port 44 is provided in piston chamber 25 in order that as piston B is caused to move in a clockwise direction away from piston D as in FIGURE 1 to that as in FIGURES 2 and 3, a gaseous mixture of air and gasoline is introduced by conventional carburetor means through inlet port 44, the movement of piston B causing suction through port 44 of the gaseous mixture to occur. It will be noted that the suction effect aids in moving piston D from its position as depicted in FIGURE 2 towards it piston as depicted in FIGURE 3. Thus the induction stroke is substantially completed upon piston B arriving at the position depicted in FIGURE 3.

The gaseous explosive mixture contained within cavity 40 between pistons B and C in their positions as depicted in FIGURE 3, compressed therein during the combustion stroke previously described, wherein piston B is propelled in a clockwise direction toward piston C from its position as in FIGURE 1 to that as in FIGURE 2. It is apparent that the gaseous mixture being compressed between pistons B and C sets to cause piston C to move from its position as in FIGURE 2 so that as in FIGURE 3 in which it is locked with stator 11 by pin 26. The final stage of the compression stroke takes place as piston B moves toward piston C, the gaseous mixture not only filling cavity between pistons B and C, but also flash chamber 42 below spark plug 41 upon pistons arriving at their positions as depicted in FIGURE 3 prior to combustion, piston B is prevented from forcibly striking piston C by means of lever 30 which momentarily locks piston A, from forcibly striking piston C by means of lever 30 which momentarily locks piston A as shown thereby maintaining a space between end faces 38 and 37 of pistons A and C respectively to permit a spark to travel therebetween to cavity 40. Rotor 19 is disengaged from pistons A and B upon their arriving at their positions as in FIGURE 3 due to the action of centrifugal force upon their locking pins 26. Rotor 19 is carried round by momentum, from its position as in FIGURE 3 to that as in FIGURE 1. Another stroke cycle thereupon takes place similar to the cycle above described.

It should be noted that two forcing or combustion strokes occur for each revolution of rotor 19. Therefore, my rotary motor 10 has the same ratio of combustion strokes to revolutions of rotor 19 as combustion strokes to crankshaft revolutions in the conventional four cylinder engine. Due, however, to the relatively fewer moving parts required in our rotory motor, and the saving in usable engine power through continued momentum of pistons A, B, C, D in a circular motion as opposed to the loss of momentum of conventional pistons in a four cylinder engine which diametrically change their direction of movement four times per combustion stroke, it is evident that our rotary motor operates at considerably improved efiiciency over conventional piston engines having similar cylinder and piston capacity.

According to the particular application of my rotary motor it is adaptable to a form wherein rotor 19 is maintained substantially stationary while stator is rotatable upon bearings, stator thus becoming an external rotor which is connected to the output shaft or like output means.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore this invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawing or described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. a rotary motor comprising an engine housing in the form of a cylindrical stator, an annular ring-formed piston chamber formed in said stator, bearings axially aligned in said stator concentric with said piston chamber, a rotor rotatably mounted within said stator in said bearings, two annular grooves recessed into internal side walls of said piston chamber, one on each side of said piston chamber, an annular connecting ring slideably located within each said grooves, a first pair of pistons slideably located within said piston chamber, said pistons of said first pair being situated diametrically opposite to each other, and secured to one of said annular connecting rings, a second pair of pistonsslicleably located within said piston chamber, intermediate of said first pair of pistons, said pistons of second pair of pistons being situated diametrically opposite to each other and secured to the other of said connecting rings, said first and said second pairs of pistons with respectively attached connecting rings sliding independently of each other within said piston chamber, said annular piston chamber having a circular cross section, at least one piston ring circumferentially located within piston ring grooves in each of said pistons, a substantially diametrical transverse bore located in each said piston, said transverse bore being radially aligned with regard to said annular piston chamber, and having two ends, a transversely slideable locking pin slideably located within each said transverse bore, each said locking pin having an outer end and an inner end, each said locking pin having a length larger than the diametric width of said piston, a portion of said locking pin thereby always protruding through one end of said two ends of said transverse bore of said piston, a portion of a locking pin annular groove being located at an upper end of said piston chamber at the largest annular diameter thereof, a second portion of said annular locking pin groove being located at a diametrically opposite lower end of said piston chamber, said first lock pin groove having a first end and a second end, said pistons, during operation of said engine, travelling from said first end toward said secondend, said first end having a wall perpendicular to said annular groove, said second end being chambered thereby to bias said locking pins into said pistons as each said piston moves past said chamber, two diametrically opposite cut out notches in said rotor for receiving and holding inwardly protruding portion of two opposing locking pins upon said locking pins being biased towards centre of said engine, a pivotable locking pin release bar pivotably located longitudinally within said second groove portion, said release bar being pivoted substantially centrally thereof to permit said release bar to pivot in a plane parallel to and centrally through said annular piston chamber, one outlet end of said release bar being biased by spring means toward said piston chamber, opposite inlet end of said release lever being located in the path of each said locking pin as said locking pin traverses over said second groove portion, said release lever thereby providing holding means for one said pair of pistons and biasing means for locking pin in one of said second pair of pistons, to bias said locking pin in said one of said second pair of pistons into said out out in said rotor open upon said cut out reaching a position opposite said locking pin in said piston of said second pair of pistons, thereby to release said second pair of pistons for movement in said piston chamber, a flash chamber located in said upper end of said piston chamber substantially centrally of said upper groove portion, spark plug means located in said flash chamber, said inlet end of said release lever being spaced apart from said outlet end of said release lever a distance suitable to permit successive engagement therein of said protruding ends of said locking pins of oncoming pistons, thereby to release said oncoming pistons from said rotor, said release lever temporarily arresting said oncoming pistons until said rotor has proceeded to locking pin of a preceding piston, said release lever thereby biasing locking pin of said preceding piston into one of said notches in said rotor to permit further continued movement of said pistons in said piston chamber, a fuel inlet port located at lower end of said piston chamber toward the direction of movement of said pistons, and an exhaust port located in lower end of said piston chamber directly behind a piston temporarily arrested by said release.

2. A rotary motor as defined in claim 1 in which said inlet port is connected to a carburetor for mixing fuel and air, said inlet port being so positioned that an expanding chamber, formed on the one side of said piston chamber between adjacent end faces of opposing pistons of said first and second pairs of pistons through rotation of said second pair, draws in fuel fumes from said carburetor system, said exhaust port being so located on opposite side of said piston chamber between said first and second piston pairs to permit complete exhaustion of combusted gases as said second piston pair moves towards said first piston pair.

3. A rotary motor as claimed in claim 1 in which faces of said pistons are indented to provide concave combustion chambers between two adjacent pistons.

References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 6,419 AD/1833 Great Britain.

MARK NEWMAN, Primary Examiner. F T. SADLER, Assistant Examiner, 

1. A ROTARY MOTOR COMPRISING AN ENGINE HOUSING IN THE FORM OF A CYLINDRICAL STATOR, AN ANNULAR RING-FORMED PISTON CHAMBER FORMED IN SAID STATOR, BEARING AXIALLY ALIGNED IN SAID STATOR CONCENTRIC WITH SAID PISTON CHAMBER, A ROTOR ROTATABLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID STATOR IN SAID BEARINGS, TWO ANNULAR GROOVES RECESSED INTO INTERNAL SIDE WALLS OF SAID PISTON CHAMBER, ONE ON EACH SIDE OF SAID PISTON CHAMBER, AN ANNULAR CONNECTING RING SLIDEABLY LOCATED WITHIN EACH SAID GROOVES, A FIRST PAIR OF PISTONS SLIDEABLY LOCATED WITHIN SAID PISTON CHAMBER, SAID PISTONS OF SAID FIRST PAIR BEING SITUATED DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE TO EACH OTHER, AND SECURED TO ONE OF SAID ANNULAR CONNECTING RINGS, A SECOND PAIR OF PISTONS SLIDEABLY LOCATED WITHIN SAID PISTON CHAMBER, INTERMEDIATE OF SAID FIRST PAIR OF PISTONS, SAID PISTONS OF SECOND PAIR OF PISTONS BEING SITUATED DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE TO EACH OTHER AND SECURED TO THE OTHER OF SAID CONNECTING RINGS, SAID FIRST AND SAID SECOND PAIRS OF PISTONS WITH RESPECTIVELY ATTACHED CONNECTING RINGS SLIDING INDEPENDENTLY OF EACH OTHER WITHIN SAID PISTON CHAMBER, SAID ANNULAR PISTON CHAMBER HAVING A CIRCULAR CROSS SECTION, AT LEAST ONE PISTON RING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY LOCATED WITHIN PISTON RING GROOVES IN EACH OF SAID PISTONS, A SUBSTANTIALLY DIAMETRICAL TRANSVERSE BORE LOCATED IN EACH SAID PISTON, SAID TRANSVERSE BORE BEING RADIALLY ALIGNED WITH REGARD TO SAID ANNULAR PISTON CHAMBER, AND HAVING TWO ENDS, A TRANSVERSELY SLIDEABLE LOCKING PIN SLIDEABLY LOCATED WITHIN EACH SAID TRANSVERSE BORE, EACH SAID LOCKING PIN HAVING AN OUTER END AND AN INNER END, EACH SAID LOCKING PIN HAVING A LENGTH LARGER THAN THE DIAMETRIC WIDTH OF SAID PISTON, A PORTION OF SAID LOCKING PIN THEREBY ALWAYS PROTRUDING THROUGH ONE END OF SAID TWO ENDS OF SAID TRANSVERSE BORE OF SAID PISTON, A PORTION OF A LOCKING PIN ANNULAR GROOVE BEING LOCATED AT AN UPPER END OF SAID PISTON CHAMBER AT THE LARGEST ANNULAR DIAMETER THEREOF, A SECOND PORTION OF SAID ANNULAR LOCKING PIN GROOVE BEING LOCATED AT A DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE LOWER END OF SAID PISTON CHAMBER, SAID FIRST LOCK PIN GROOVE HAVING A FIRST END AND A SECOND END, SAID PISTONS, DURING OPERATION OF SAID ENGINE, TRAVELLING FROM SAID FIRST END TOWARD SAID SECOND END, SAID FIRST END HAVING A WALL PERPENDICULAR TO SAID ANNULAR GROOVE, SAID SECOND END BEING CHAMBERED THEREBY TO BIAS SAID LOCKING PINS INTO SAID PISTONS AS EACH SAID PISTON MOVES PAST SAID CHAMBER, TWO DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE CUT OUT NOTCHES IN SAID ROTOR FOR RECEIVING AND HOLDING INWARDLY PROTRUDING PORTION OF TWO OPPOSING LOCKING PINS UPON SAID LOCKING PINS BEING BIASED TOWARDS CENTRE OF SAID ENGINE, A PIVOTABLE LOCKING PIN RELEASE BAR PIVOTABLY LOCATED LONGITUDINALLY WITHIN SAID SECOND GROOVE PORTION, SAID RELEASE BAR BEING PIVOTED SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRALLY THEREOF TO PERMIT SAID RELEASE BAR TO PIVOT IN A PLANE PARALLEL TO AND CENTRALLY THROUGH SAID ANNULAR PISTON CHAMBER, ONE OUTLET END OF SAID RELEASE BAR BEING BIASED BY SPRING MEANS TOWARD SAID PISTON CHAMBER, OPPOSITE INLET END OF SAID RELEASE LEVER BEING LOCATED IN THE PATH OF EACH SAID LOCKING PIN AS SAID LOCKING PIN TRAVERSES OVER SAID SECOND GROOVE PORTION, SAID RELEASE LEVER THEREBY PROVIDING HOLDING MEANS FOR ONE SAID PAIR OF PISTONS AND BIASING MEANS FOR LOCKING PIN IN ONE OF SAID SECOND PAIR OF PISTONS, TO BIAS SAID LOCKING PIN IN SAID ONE OF SAID SECOND PAIR OF PISTONS INTO SAID CUT OUT IN SAID ROTOR OPEN UPON SAID CUT OUT REACHING A POSITION OPPOSITE SAID LOCKING PIN IN SAID PISTON OF SAID SECOND PAIR OF PISTONS, THEREBY TO RELEASE SAID SECOND PAIR OF PISTONS FOR MOVEMENT IN SAID PISTON CHAMBER, A FLASH CHAMBER LOCATED IN SAID UPPER END OF SAID PISTON CHAMBER SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRALLY OF SAID UPPER GROOVE PORTION, SPARK PLUG MEANS LOCATED IN SAID FLASH CHAMBER, SAID INLET END OF SAID RELEASE LEVER BEING SPACED APART FROM SAID OUTLET END OF SAID RELEASE LEVER A DISTANCE SUITABLE TO PERMIT SUCCESSIVE ENGAGEMENT THEREIN OF SAID PROTRUDING ENDS OF SAID LOCKING PINS OF ONCOMING PISTONS, THEREBY TO RELEASE SAID ONCOMING PISTONS FROM SAID ROTOR, SAID RELEASE LEVER TEMPORARILY ARRESTING SAID ONCOMING PISTONS UNTIL SAID ROTOR HAS PROCEEDED TO LOCKING PIN OF A PRECEDING PISTON, SAID RELEASE LEVER THEREBY BIASING LOCKING PIN OF SAID PRECEDING PISTON INTO ONE OF SAID NOTCHES IN SAID ROTOR TO PERMIT FURTHER CONTINUED MOVEMENT OF SAID PISTONS IN SAID PISTON CHAMBER, A FUEL INLET PORT LOCATED AT LOWER END OF SAID PISTON CHAMBER TOWARD THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID PISTONS, AND AN EXHAUST PORT LOCATED IN LOWER END OF SAID PISTON CHAMBER DIRECTLY BEHIND A PISTON TEMPORARILY ARRESTED BY SAID RELEASE. 